That sounds like you had a close call!Best wishes for your recovery, I hope you have no lasting injuries.

I never ride anywhere without helmet either, it just makes me feel safer.

I crashed in a similar way last year, in early July. Possibly even more than 45 km/h (it was down the Ofenpass, about 9%), but I can remember everything from the day (except a phone call I allegedly made to my parents after the OP, was still on the good medication).Went over the handlebars, bike made a somersault over me.Cut on the left eyebrow (expertly handled by the Swiss, almost invisible now), minor bruising on arm and leg, a rather deep wound on the right ankle (from the front wheel spokes, probably) - and a broken collarbone. The helmet took much of the impact as well, I don't think I'd be here now without a helmet.Got transported off to hospital in the tiniest ambulance I'd ever seen, OP the same day (also very expertly done), released 24 hours after admission. Brilliant care by the way, everybody was very helpful, and the food was great - not how I imagined hospital food at all. Zucchini soufflé for lunch... Spent three months with a piece of titanium in my body, started riding again after 1,5 months. Went down to Limburg in September and rode my bike for 8 days straight without problems (with the titanium still in there); and now I'm as good as new.

Glad your okay, heal up fast, I wish you the best on getting back to riding.

From experience I can tell you it's likely it will take some time to recover fully mentally. Earlier this year on a group ride I was sprinting with another rider for a stop ahead sign, then the next thing I remember is waking up on the side of the road not remembering what had happened. Apparently I had gone over my handlebars (I suspect the cause being a broken cleat and my foot coming out of the pedal) and upon impact my helmet had somehow come off my head. I ended up with in addition to cuts and bruises a minor concussion, a small laceration to my liver, as well as having to get some stitches above my eye where I hit the ground. Was off the bike 2 weeks myself but even more important then recovering during those 2 weeks was recovering mentally. And getting back to a point where I felt comfortable riding again. On the group rides I did once able to ride again I stayed completely out of all the sprints and when I did decide to get in a sprint again I just did it from a seated position. But I managed to return mentally and get back to my normal riding level.

So when you do start riding again, it's perfectly normal that you may not feel as comfortable and controlled on the bike as you did before the crash. But just hang in there. It will take some time, but you'll get back to your old level with time.

I often feel the mental side of cycling is the hardest side. Nothing feels worse than not feeling the same on the bike after a crash, or not being able to deliver in a race, or struggling to make a return to your old level. And pushing forward after these kinds of setbacks can be very difficult. I've had to find the motivation to continue and push past those kinds of setbacks more than once this year in my own racing. It's hard coming back mentally, but as long as you have the motivation to do so and are patient, you can get there.

Last winter I had the misfortune to see what head trauma can reduce people to. Stuff you read about, but a frightening experience to see in someone you care about. And that was from slipping over wet leaves at probably 12km/h tops. Since then, whenever I hear someone even mentioning a head injury they walked away from.. man, it's good to hear you walked away from it, and it's still you Jimmy. For you and those who care about you.

Hope the other bits recover soon too, and that getting back on the bike will be just like it was before. Sooner rather than later. But don't rush it. Nothing as important as giving the head time to heal its wounds too, visible or not. And sometimes that is longer than you want it to be, or expect it to be.

That sounds like you had a close call!Best wishes for your recovery, I hope you have no lasting injuries.

I never ride anywhere without helmet either, it just makes me feel safer.

I crashed in a similar way last year, in early July. Possibly even more than 45 km/h (it was down the Ofenpass, about 9%), but I can remember everything from the day (except a phone call I allegedly made to my parents after the OP, was still on the good medication).Went over the handlebars, bike made a somersault over me.Cut on the left eyebrow (expertly handled by the Swiss, almost invisible now), minor bruising on arm and leg, a rather deep wound on the right ankle (from the front wheel spokes, probably) - and a broken collarbone. The helmet took much of the impact as well, I don't think I'd be here now without a helmet.Got transported off to hospital in the tiniest ambulance I'd ever seen, OP the same day (also very expertly done), released 24 hours after admission. Brilliant care by the way, everybody was very helpful, and the food was great - not how I imagined hospital food at all. Zucchini soufflé for lunch... Spent three months with a piece of titanium in my body, started riding again after 1,5 months. Went down to Limburg in September and rode my bike for 8 days straight without problems (with the titanium still in there); and now I'm as good as new.

Shiiiite, bad news indeed mate! Look after yerself... all the best for the recovery!

Gotta say, regards helmet use... I never, ever used to train with one (in Europe - always did in Aus) but lately I automatically reach for the 'casque' even if I'm just pottering for an hour in the lanes. The only downside being as I'm getting, er, slightly (ok, ffs, completely...) bald, I get woeful suntan marks on my barnet!

About a minute slower... so not lost too much in a month off. Post Merge: October 29, 2013, 12:08now back down to short 25s so nothing lost in the crash apart from half a day of memory and plenty of skin Post Merge: October 29, 2013, 12:08Not wanting to plug a rival site...

but here is my review of the year with more about coming back from a crash.